UL Bohs Retain Munster Junior Cup

A late try by centre Giles Boland was the decisive score as UL Bohemians battled their way to back-to-back Munster Junior Cup titles, beating their Limerick rivals Young Munster 13-6 in Sunday’s final at Dooradoyle.

MUNSTER JUNIOR CUP FINAL: Sunday, April 25

UL BOHEMIANS 13 YOUNG MUNSTER 6, Dooradoyle

Scorers: UL Bohemians: Try: Giles Boland; Con: Aidan McNulty; Pens: Aidan McNulty 2
Young Munster: Pens: Ian Cross 2

Though they had three players sin-binned at various stages, UL Bohemians retained the Munster Junior Cup with a hard-earned win over Young Munster who were cheered on by Paul O’Connell, a member of the last Cookies side to win the trophy back in 1999.

A try by young centre Giles Boland from a pass by Ross Butler was the crucial score and it came ten minutes from the end of a game in which the winners were the more enterprising.

Both place-kickers missed a number of shots at goal before UL out-half Aidan McNulty broke the deadlock four minutes into first half injury-time.

Number 10 Ian Cross levelled for Young Munster before McNulty notched another penalty after 67 minutes. A 40-metre strike from Cross had the sides level again until Boland’s try, converted by McNulty, edged it for the men in red.

The try came eight minutes from the time as McNulty attacked off quick lineout ball, drew in the defence and helped Butler make a half-break before his pass sent his centre partner Boland over on the right.

Click here for video footage from UL Bohs of their final win.

UL BOHEMIANS: H De Stacpoole; C Aherne, R Butler, G Boland, M Doyle; A McNulty, D Farrell; K Flanagan, E Rossiter, G Walsh, K Bracken, A Hartigan, C O’Neill, I Condell, N Kinnane.

Replacements used: S Hassett for Flanagan (half-time), J O’Neill for C O’Neill (48 mins), T Foley for Kinnane (60).

YOUNG MUNSTER: D Bannon; J Jackman, D Grace, C Clohessy, D Long; I Cross, D Barry; S Copello, P McMahon, A Cotter, J Griffin, K Hanley, G Burke, L Og Murphy, B Guilfoyle.

Replacements used: T Cronin for Barry (43 mins), D O’Dwyer for Copello, P Allen for McMahon (both 64), B Collins for Griffin (70).

Referee: Eddie Hogan-O’Connell (Munster)